PM Harper Quietly, and Almost Without Attracting Notice, Restores Something Important to Monarchists

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today that the Government of Canada is designating May 4th, 2010, as Canadian Navy Centennial Day to mark the Royal Canadian Navy's 100th anniversary of service. The announcement was made during a ceremony in the Senate Chamber on Parliament Hill during which a ship’s bell was presented to the people of Canada by the Navy to show their continued commitment to serve.

"The founding of Canada's navy represents a proud milestone in our history,” said Prime Minister Harper. “In the past 100 years our sailors have developed a reputation for bravery, skill and professionalism from combat in both world wars and Korea to current actions such as delivering aid to Haiti and combating piracy and terrorism in the Arabian Sea. Our Government will continue with its efforts to re-equip Canada’s navy, providing them with the new ships and upgrades needed to get the job done.

“This is a momentous occasion. The navy is honoured by today’s proclamation, and we hope that Canadians will join us in recognizing this milestone in Canadian history," said Vice-Admiral Dean McFadden, Chief of the Maritime Staff.

“The Centennial Bell rededicates the Navy’s commitment to the people of Canada for the next 100 years of service. It stands as a symbol that honours the past, celebrates the Royal Canadian Navy’s achievements and recognizes the navy’s safeguarding of Canadian values of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law,” said Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence.

The Royal Canadian Navy is planning several events on May 4th and throughout 2010 to mark this significant moment in Canada's naval history within the context of the centennial theme of "Bring the Navy to Canadians." Events are aimed at honouring the past, showcasing the current navy and reinforcing the requirement for the future navy.

4 comments:

I've said this before and I'll say it again, I love my Prime Minister. He gets it, all of it. He is a Christian, secure in his faith, who understands the Judeo-Christian morality that Western society was built on.

Canadian Forces Maritime Command (MARCOM), also known as the Canadian Navy, is the maritime force of the Canadian Forces. While equal in rank and position, The Chief of the Maritime Staff takes precedence over the Chiefs of the Land and Air Staffs following the tradition of the Royal Navy.

MARCOM is the descendant of the the Canadian Naval Service created by the Canadian Naval Service Act May 4,1910 and later on Aug. 29, 1911 designated by royal authority as the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) which was Canada's navy until 1 February 1968. Prior to 1910, the Royal Navy provided the maritime defence of Canada. In 1968, the RCN was merged with the army and air force to form the Canadian Armed Forces.

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Canadian sailors exchanged their RCN uniforms for a rifle-green uniform common to all services (known as "CF green") and adopted an army-based rank structure. Only cap and collar badges identified "naval" personnel. These policies were somewhat reversed in the 1970s when MARCOM returned to a naval-based rank structure. In 1987 the Canadian Armed Forces introduced its Distinctive Environmental Uniforms (DEUs) for its three environmental commands. The new naval uniform was broadly similar to the former RCN uniform except that officers' uniforms contained six rather than eight buttons on the front of the tunic and the "square rig" for other ranks was not re-introduced. In addition, the executive curl on officers' rank insignia was omitted and the rank insignia of other ranks continued to follow the pattern used by the army.

(Incidentally, the Harper government has also re-introducetd the curl on RCN officer rank insignia, Royal Navy style. The USN does not use this).